Scotland will suffer from Budget, says Swinney

23 Jun 10
Scotland faces an even tougher financial outlook following the emergency Budget, Finance Secretary John Swinney has warned
By David Scott

23 June 2010

Scotland faces an even tougher financial outlook following the emergency Budget, Finance Secretary John Swinney has warned.

He claimed that UK Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement threatened a spiral of decline as the cuts announced were ‘too far, too fast’.

Swinney welcomed measures such as tax protection for those on low incomes, support for pensioners and measures to help businesses. But he said the Scottish Government now faced a more acute and pressing challenge, which would be addressed by its recently established budget review group.

He added: ‘The previous UK government left the public finances in a mess. But there is a real risk that, by accelerating deep spending cuts – going too far, too fast – the new UK government will make things worse.’

The finance secretary said the Scottish Government would take advantage of the ‘constructive relationship’ that now existed with the UK government to press for alternative measures.

The Scottish National Party administration recently decided to delay Scotland’s share of the £6bn spending cuts planned for the UK next year, after being offered this flexibility by Osborne.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore echoed Osborne, saying the Budget was fair but tough. He argued that it would help thousands of Scots on lower incomes and businesses trying to survive the effects of the recession.

Shadow Scottish secretary Jim Murphy described the chancellor’s plans as a ‘Budget that picks on the poor'.

He added: ‘This was not a Budget for growth or jobs – it is a vicious assault on Scottish families and an attack on Scottish jobs.’

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